Meme on Religion
Tagged by Niobium, ages and ages ago...
Why do you choose the religion you embrace?
Even as a young kid, I could never shake the feeling that God didn't like women. Eve screwed up the Garden of Eden with her sin. Seemed like the women in the Bible were all sinners & prostitutes... or virgins... or just not important enough for God to interact with. And I was a woman, so how did I know he liked ME?
My first taste of Goddess-centered spirituality came when my mom took me to a UU church. I remember they talked about God AND the Goddess. Mother Goddess. I also remember I thought they were freaks. What the hell? Everyone knew God was a man. How could a woman be divine?
In college, the guy I was dating got a book on witchcraft. He bragged about how he was going to curse his enemies and so forth. I don't know that he ever really read the book. It was Scott Cunninghams's Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner. I browsed through it, but didn't pick up on much beyond the kindness of Deity and connection to nature.
Fast forward several years. The twelve step programs were ruling my life, and if you are familiar with the 12-steps, you'll know that Step 2 is: Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. And so began my journey to find a Power greater than myself.
I tried to find a loving God. I found a church that I'd heard good things about and I decided to go. It was springtime, Easter. I thought it would an uplifting time to return to the church. But all the prayers and hymns were about how we were sinners and needed Jesus to die for us, so that we could be forgiven, etc. etc. etc. And I found myself getting more and more sad. I could hardly sit through the whole service.
After the service, I sat out in my car in the church parking lot and cried. Because I felt I had lost God. How could he love me? I was a woman and a sinner. That was the week I went to the bookstore and bought my own copy of Cunningham's Guide for the Solitary Practitioner. Reading about paganism made me realize that I've always been a witch, I just didn't know it.
How religious are you? How often do you practice your religion?
I shy away from the word religion. Yes, I believe paganism & witchcraft are legitimate religions, but I tend to practice the more spiritual side of it. I'm not big into ceremonial stuff. I try to honor the sun and moon tides, sometimes go to public rituals, although I feel more of a connection with the Divine when I'm practicing alone.
Why is this religion the right one for you?
Paganism/witchcraft has meaning for me. I understand it. I agree with it. And through it, I have found a loving Goddess and even a loving God. It touches something ancient in my soul, something primal. It connects me to nature, my ancestors, and the divine within myself.
How does the practice of this religion improve your life or what benefit do you recieve from its practice?
See previous question. Also, it heals me, comforts me and empowers me.
Are you spiritual as well as religious? or is one more prevalent than the other?
Using the word religion usually makes me cringe. I like to think of myself as a spiritual person. There's always room for improvement, though.
Why do you choose the religion you embrace?
Even as a young kid, I could never shake the feeling that God didn't like women. Eve screwed up the Garden of Eden with her sin. Seemed like the women in the Bible were all sinners & prostitutes... or virgins... or just not important enough for God to interact with. And I was a woman, so how did I know he liked ME?
My first taste of Goddess-centered spirituality came when my mom took me to a UU church. I remember they talked about God AND the Goddess. Mother Goddess. I also remember I thought they were freaks. What the hell? Everyone knew God was a man. How could a woman be divine?
In college, the guy I was dating got a book on witchcraft. He bragged about how he was going to curse his enemies and so forth. I don't know that he ever really read the book. It was Scott Cunninghams's Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner. I browsed through it, but didn't pick up on much beyond the kindness of Deity and connection to nature.
Fast forward several years. The twelve step programs were ruling my life, and if you are familiar with the 12-steps, you'll know that Step 2 is: Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. And so began my journey to find a Power greater than myself.
I tried to find a loving God. I found a church that I'd heard good things about and I decided to go. It was springtime, Easter. I thought it would an uplifting time to return to the church. But all the prayers and hymns were about how we were sinners and needed Jesus to die for us, so that we could be forgiven, etc. etc. etc. And I found myself getting more and more sad. I could hardly sit through the whole service.
After the service, I sat out in my car in the church parking lot and cried. Because I felt I had lost God. How could he love me? I was a woman and a sinner. That was the week I went to the bookstore and bought my own copy of Cunningham's Guide for the Solitary Practitioner. Reading about paganism made me realize that I've always been a witch, I just didn't know it.
How religious are you? How often do you practice your religion?
I shy away from the word religion. Yes, I believe paganism & witchcraft are legitimate religions, but I tend to practice the more spiritual side of it. I'm not big into ceremonial stuff. I try to honor the sun and moon tides, sometimes go to public rituals, although I feel more of a connection with the Divine when I'm practicing alone.
Why is this religion the right one for you?
Paganism/witchcraft has meaning for me. I understand it. I agree with it. And through it, I have found a loving Goddess and even a loving God. It touches something ancient in my soul, something primal. It connects me to nature, my ancestors, and the divine within myself.
How does the practice of this religion improve your life or what benefit do you recieve from its practice?
See previous question. Also, it heals me, comforts me and empowers me.
Are you spiritual as well as religious? or is one more prevalent than the other?
Using the word religion usually makes me cringe. I like to think of myself as a spiritual person. There's always room for improvement, though.
posted by pandoraz_boxx at 6:06 PM
2 Comments:
I love your answer to #1, and no biggie about not answering right away.
I have to ask: more than one 12 step program?
Yes, The Man was going to addict groups, I was going to a co-addict group, and WE were going together to RCA (Recovering Couples Anon.)
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